CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va.  – The No. 4 seeded Virginia Cavaliers (11-4) used a 5-0 run over the third and fourth quarters to push past the Bryant Bulldogs (9-4) in the NCAA First Round, 13-11, on Sunday afternoon at Klöckner Stadium. UVA advances to the NCAA Quarterfinal round for the second tournament in a row and will face the No. 5 seeded Georgetown Hoyas.

Matt Moore and Connor Shellenberger each led UVA with two goals and three assists in the winning effort, while goalie Alex Rode notched 18 saves. The 18 saves are tied for No. 6 in UVA history for a single NCAA game.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Peter Garno started the game-winning 5-0 run on a Matt Moore Assist with 1:24 left in the third quarter to cut UVA’s deficit to one goal, 10-9, as the third quarter came to an end.

UVA scored the first four goals of the fourth quarter to shift the momentum in the Cavaliers’ favor. Grayson Sallade scored in transition to tie the game, 10-10, with 11:48 left to play. Xander Dickson four Ian Lavaio on the doorstep with 9:23 to play, giving UVA the lead for good at 11-10.

Moore found Payton Cormier with 7:09 left and Charlie Bertrand capped UVA’s scoring with a goal with 3:18 left after picking up a carom ground ball after Laviano hit a post.

UVA STAT LEADERS
• A Matt Moore
2 goals, 3 assists

• M Connor Shellenberger
2 goals, 3 assists

• M Peter Garno
2 goals

• A Ian Laviano
2 goals, 1 assist

• A Payton Cormier
2 goals

• GK Alex Rode
18 saves, 7 ground balls

• D Cade Saustad
8 ground balls, 3 assists

NOTES
• UVA is playing in its 40th NCAA Tournament, which is No. 3 all-time.
• UVA’s win is its 53rd all-time win in the NCAA Tournament, which ranks No. 4 all-time.
• UVA advances to the quarterfinals for the 10th time in the last 20 seasons.
• UVA has won five NCAA games in a row, which ties for second-longest NCAA winning streak in program history (2011-12).
• UVA is 5-1 all-time in the NCAA under Lars Tiffany.
• UVA is 13-3 all-time in the NCAA Tournament at Klöckner Stadium.
• UVA had not played for 22 days, tying its longest such break between the regular season and the NCAA Tournament. The 1997 season also saw 22 days.
• Alex Rode made 18 saves, which ranks No. 6 all-time on UVA’s single-game NCAA list.
• Cade Saustad had a career-high eight ground balls.

FROM THE LOCKER ROOM
“It’s a treat to be coaching this team. It’s a treat to be in the NCAA tournament. The competition in Division I lacrosse when you get to the month of May is intense. Bryant’s effort today did not surprise me at all. Having coached against Mike Pressler and the Bulldogs during the years we had together (Sean Kirwan and Kip Turner), we fully knew what to expect and that is a tenacious team that was going to be all over the contested groundballs. They’re always good at the faceoff X because of the faceoff Coach, Casey Broderson, and there’s just a will – an attitude – that they’re not going to back down. I’m excited that we got to play in such a great game. I’m excited about the win, as it gives us an opportunity to play another team that’s playing high-energy, high-level lacrosse in Kevin Warne’s Georgetown Hoyas. I’m really excited about how we responded in the fourth quarter and how we made some great shots. Whether it was Payton [Cormier] or Ian [Laviano], just placing it into some tiny little windows, and then Charlie Bertrand too, picking up a big loose ball and putting one away, it was an exciting game, a great game. I’m not surprised at all that this was another slugfest.” – Lars Tiffany

UP NEXT
UVA will advances to the quarterfinals in Hempstead, N.Y., against Georgetown (No. 5 seed). The quarterfinal matchup will be played at either noon or 2:30 p.m. at James M. Shuart Stadium on the campus of Hofstra University. The quarterfinals will be broadcast on ESPNU.